Hazrat Lut alaihis salam

Description of the People of SodomProphet Abraham (PBUH) left Egypt accompanied by his nephew Lut (PBUH), who then went to the city of Sodom (Sadum), which was on the western shore of the Dead Sea.This city was filled with evil. Its residents waylaid, robbed and killed travelers. Another common evil among them was that men had sex with men instead of with women. This unnatural act later became known as sodomy (after the city of Sodom). It was practiced openly and unashamedly.

Lot’s MessageIt was at the height of these crimes and sins that Allah revealed to Prophet Lut (PBUH) that he should summon the people to give up their indecent behavior, but they were so deeply sunk in their immoral habits that they were deaf to Lot’s preaching. Swamped in their unnatural desires,they refused to listen, even when Lot warned them of Allah’s punishment. Instead, they threatened to drive him out of the city if he kept on preaching.Allah the Almighty revealed: The people of Lot (those dwelt in the towns of Sodom in Palestine) belied the Messengers when their brother Lot said to them: “Will you not fear Allah and obey Him? Verily! I am a trustworthy Messenger to you. SO fear Allah, keep your duty to Him, and obey me. No reward do I ask of you for it (my Message of Islamic Monotheism) my reward is only from the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists). Go you in unto the males of the Alamin (mankind), and leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your wives? Nay, you are a trespassing people!” They said: “If you cease not, O Lot! Verily, you will be one of those who are driven out!”HE said: “I am indeed, of those who disapprove with severe anger and fury your (this evil)action (of sodomy). My Lord! Save me and my family from what they do.”SO We saved him and his family, all except an old woman (this wife) among those whoremained behind. (Ch 26:160-171 Quran)Lot’s WifeThe doings of Lot’s people saddened his heart. Their unwholesome reputation spread throughout the land, while he struggled against them. As the years passed, he persisted in his mission but to no avail. No one responded to his call and believed except for the members of his family, and even in his household, not all the members believed. Lot’s wife, like Noah’s wife, a disbeliever. Allah the Almighty declared:

According to Christian tradition, this cave, situated close to the Dead Sea is where the Prophet Lut [Lot] (upon him be peace) sought refuge in after the destruction of Sodom, his village.

In Islam, Lut (upon him be peace), like all the other Prophets of Allah is regarded as being righteous and the upholder of all forms of moral conduct. There occurs a major difference between the Islamic and Judeo/Christian beliefs regarding what happened to Lut (upon him be peace) and his daughters after they fled the destruction of Sodom.

According to “Who’s Who in the Bible” by Peter Calvocoressi, after they went to live in the cave the two daughters of Lut (upon him be peace) feared they would never get a man so they plotted to make their father seduce them when he was drunk. They took it in turns and each subsequently bore a son who became the ancestors of the Moabites and Ammonites. The story is told in Genesis 19:30-36:

30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.

The allegation of drunkenness and incestuous behaviour of Lut (upon him be peace) is completely rejected in Islam who regard him as one of the mightiest messengers of Allah (God) who were all examples of moral and spiritual rectitude.This rock formation (near the city of Salt) is believed by Christians to be the wife of Lut (upon him be peace), who looked back at the punishment being inflicted on the people of Sodom and Gommorah and as a result was turned into a pillar of salt. According to the Holy Quran, the wife of Lut (upon him be peace) was inflicted with punishment but her turning into a pillar of salt is not specifically mentioned. Allah (ﷻ) knows best. Please note that this has been shown for information purposes only as it relates to Quranic revelation. By no means does this imply that this is a place of veneration for Muslims.

Some angels came down in the form of handsome young men to Sadoom (Sodom), where lived Lut (upon him be peace) among a community indulging in homosexuality and immoral behaviour. The first to see them was one of the daughters of Lut (upon him be peace) who immediately told her father about them. Lut (upon him be peace), fearing that they will be abused if they were spotted, rushed out to meet them and invited them to his house as his guests. Allah (ﷻ) mentions this incident in the Quran in Surah Hud:“And when Our Messengers came to Lut he was grieved on their account and felt himself straightened for them (lest the town people should approach them to commit sodomy with them). He said: ‘This is a distressful day’.” [11:17]

Only the people of his house were aware of the guests but his wife went out and informed the people that Lut (upon him be peace) had brought handsome men into the house. People immediately came and surrounded the house and demanded Lut (upon him be peace) to give up his guests to them. Lut (upon him be peace) barricaded himself behind the closed door but when he found the task of holding them back formidable, he said,“Would that I had power against you, or might have some strong support for refuge.” [11:80]

In that moment, Allah (ﷻ) makes mention of what the angels said:“O Lut ! Verily, we are the Messengers from your Lord! They shall not reach you! So travel with your family in a part of the night, and let not any of you look back, but your wife (will remain behind), verily, the punishment which will afflict them, will afflict her. Indeed, morning is their appointed time. Is not the morning near?” [11:81]

Lut (upon him be peace) left with his family and when the sun rose the decree of Allah was fulfilled. A severe punishment descended upon the people and destroyed all of them. On the saving of Lut (upon him be peace), Allah (ﷻ) says in the Holy Quran: “So we saved him and his family, all except an old woman (his wife) among those who remained behind.” [26:170-171]

There are two interpretations about how his wife was destroyed. Either she remained inside the city or she looked back at the punishment and as a result was punished herself.

Allah (ﷻ) has mentioned in Surah At-Tahrim: “Allah has struck a similitude for those who disbelieve – the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut. They were under two of our righteous servants, but they betrayed them, so that they (their husbands) availed them nothining whatsoever against Allah; so it was said (to them) enter the fire along with the enterers.” [66:10]

Tomb of Prophet Lut (upon him be peace)

This building houses the tomb of Lut (upon him be peace) [Lot] and is situated in the town of Bani Na’im near the Dead Sea.

Lut (upon him be peace) [Lot] is mentioned by name 17 times in the Quran; he was the paternal nephew of Ebrahim (upon him be peace).

Lut (upon him be peace) was sent to the people of Sadoom (Sodom) to call them towards Allah (ﷻ). These people indulged in homosexuality, many were criminals and caused corruption in the land. Allah revealed the story of the people of Lut (upon him be peace) in the Quran in Surah Ash-Shu’ara: “The people of Lot (those dwelt in the towns of Sodom in Palestine) belied the Messengers when their brother Lot said to them: ‘Will you not fear Allah and obey Him? Verily! I am a trustworthy Messenger to you. So fear Allah, keep your duty to Him, and obey me. No reward do I ask of you for it (my message of Islamic monotheism) my reward is only from the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists). Go you in unto the males of the Alamin (mankind), and leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your wives? Nay, you are a trespassing people!”They said: “If you cease not, O Lot! Verily, you will be one of those who are driven out!” HE said: “I am indeed, of those who disapprove with severe anger and fury your (this evil) action (of sodomy). My Lord! Save me and my family from what they do.“So we saved him and his family, all except an old woman (his wife) among those who remained behind.” [26:160-171]

The people of Sadoom rejected the teachings of Lut (upon him be peace) and were punished by Allah (ﷻ). His wife was included in the punishment. Jibraeel (upon him be peace), who was in the form of a man, came out in his angelic form to fill the horizon with 700 wings. With the tip of his wing he scraped up the whole town of the people of Lut, raised them up in the sky, then flipped them upside down and smashed them back to the earth. Then Allah (ﷻ) sent a rain of stones on them, and every one of them received a stone with his name. Allah (ﷻ) has never combined such a punishment on any people in history. First they were afflicted with a cry; then they were raised up and flipped; then they received missiles from the sky to exterminate them from the earth.

The major difference between the story of Lut in the Quran and Lot in the Bible is that the Biblical version includes stories of Lot’s incestuous relationship with his daughters. Since Lut (upon him be peace) was sent as a prophet and as all prophets are perfect examples of morality these stories are completely rejected by Muslims.